In the Boer War the mounted troops from Queensland wore emu feathers (later ostrich feathers, locally sourced). At that stage it was considered as a "Queensland thing" but NSW troopers wore black cock's feathers, Tasmanians wore wallaby fur puggarees and WA troopers wore eagle's feahers as a plume. None of those accoutrements were 100% official but they were accepted. Quoting aus-military-request@rootsweb.com: > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Michael Patrick PHELAN (Norman Archibald) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 11:43:54 +1000 > From: "Norman Archibald" <normanarch@iprimus.com.au> > Subject: [AUS-MIL] Michael Patrick PHELAN > To: <AUS-MILITARY@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <014801c6ec0d$9b575640$6401a8c0@ibmilmti0jdyot> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" > > Dear listers, > I am new to the list, seeking your help. > One of my family connections, a Michael Patrick PHELAN was an Australian who > served in the Boer War. > Could someone on the list suggest where to look for any info regarding > Michael Patrick, such as his service record etc. > I have a copy of a photo of Michael Patrick in his uniform, it is not overly > clear and has obviously faded with age. > Michael Patrick served as a mounted rifleman and one of my rellies asked if > there were any feathers in his hat as per the "Light Horsemen" of the 1st. > World War. > Could anyone on the list advise whether the Boer War mounted troups wore > feathers in their slouch hats. > A trivial question I suppose, but one I find interesting. > Norman A. > > > ------------------------------ > > To contact the AUS-MILITARY list administrator, send an email to > AUS-MILITARY-admin@rootsweb.com. > > To post a message to the AUS-MILITARY mailing list, send an email to > AUS-MILITARY@rootsweb.com. > > __________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-MILITARY-request@rootsweb.com > with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the subject and the body of > the > email with no additional text. > > > End of AUS-MILITARY Digest, Vol 1, Issue 18 > ******************************************* >